Martin Luther

Background

To begin our discussion of Martin Luther, we must first begin with a brief summary of his personal background. After all, any personal philosophy begins with the earliest moments of cognition. Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in Heisenberg, Germany to a fairly wealthy copper refiner. His life was already more or less laid out for him. His parents sent him to a series of fine classical schools, where he learned the views of the Greek philosophers and received instruction of dead languages like Latin. Luther received his masters' degree, then headed to further his education by studying law. During his time at law school, Luther found his first major life turn. While walking one day, a great thunderstorm struck, and in his fright, Luther plead to God that he would join a monastery and devote his life to God if he would be spared in the storm. Luther's life was spared, and he followed up with his promise, joining a monastery in Erfurt. However, Luther did not abandon his academic background. He soon began pursuing the intellectual side of religion, studying theology at the University of Erfurt. In 1512, Luther's most famous philosophies had their genesis. During a trip to Rome, Luther described his disgust with the superficial spirituality of the Roman church.

95 Theses

In 1517, Luther had an encounter with a Dominican friar named Johann Tetzel. Tetzel was selling letters of indulgence, in which a purchase of the letter would supposedly free the buyer of their sins. Luther was disgusted with this practice, which had become rather widespread, and he drafted his 95 Theses, which were complaints with the state of the Church. Luther's Theses were wildly controversial, and eventually led to Luther's excommunication and condemnation. Luther believed that salvation should be a work of divine grace, not personal action, and the Church, as well as the Roman emperor, took issue with Luther's statements. In an event now known as the Diet of Worms, Luther refused to recant his actions, and was excommunicated.

Philosophy

Luther's 95 Theses were based on a philosophy that has now become of a staple to his name: the Theology of the Cross. This belief is based simply on the concept that belief in God requires no prerequisites but belief in the stories of the Bible and faith in Jesus as Lord. This concept is founded on Luther's fundamental belief in a hidden God -- one that simply requires belief as devotion. As a religious person, the idea of Luther being a philosopher seems rather contrary. The typical idea of a philosopher imagines a person who relies on reason hand-in-hand with personal vindication in order to understand the world. Luther actually said that reason is the enemy to faith, as belief requires no logical reasoning. However, Luther's religious ideas were the very concepts that built his philosophy. For example, Luther's actions are the roots of Biblical humanism, or the idea that religion and the Bible should be accessible to everyone, not just the educated few. This idea also expanded on the Enlightenment idea of individualism, in which the individual determines his or her own beliefs and ideas, and education is open to all. Luther also participated in the growing trend of questioning authority. Finally, Luther even made major contributions to modernism -- which comprises the concepts of pluralism, religious liberty, self-government, and more. Luther likely would not consider himself a philosopher in the modern sense, but his bold religious ideas created philosophies and ideas that still affect us today.